Press releases

Insurance Companies

The National Statistical Institute published final data on the activity of  insurance companies for 2022, with the balance value of assets as of  31.12.2022 being 8 881 million BGN. In the life insurance sector, gross written premiums amount to 3 195 million BGN, and the balance of the technical report is 250 million BGN. In the technical report of General Insurance, the gross accrued written premiums amount to 516 million BGN, and the balance of the technical report is BGN 18 million. In 2022, the insurance companies have reported a positive financial result of their activity for 234 million BGN.

Pension Companies and Pension Funds

According to final data of the NSI in 2022, the balance value of the assets of the pension insurance companies at the end of the year for 543 million BGN. The revenues from the activities of pension companies reach 296 million BGN, and the realized profit amounted to 69 million BGN.

The balance value assets of the supplementary pension insurance funds as of 31.12.2022 is 19 291 million BGN, and the investments reached 17 321 million BGN. The balance value of the assets of the pension payment funds as of 31.12.2022 is 69 million BGN, and the investments reached 28 million BGN.

Specialized Investment Companies

According to the final data of the NSI in 2022, the balance value of the assets at the end of the year of the specialized investment companies is 12 723 million BGN. The foreign assets received (financial instruments and cash of customers) amounted to 7 785 million BGN.

The financial income of the specialized investment enterprises in 2022 amounts to 1 894 million BGN, and the financial result for the year is a profit of 56 million BGN.

Associations and Foundations

According to the final data of the NSI for the associations and foundations that submitted an annual report on their activities for 2022, the balance sheet value of their assets as of 31.12.2022 is 1 525 million BGN.

The revenues from regulated activity amount to 921 million BGN, and the profit from economic activity is 25 million BGN.

Detailed data can be found on the NSI website under the heading 'Financial Enterprises'.

According to final data the foreign direct investments (FDI) in the non-financial sector as of 31.12.2022 amounted to 29 376 million euro at current prices, which is 4.2% more compared to the previous year.

In 2022, the largest volume of the foreign direct investments was made in Industry sector - 12 817 million euro. Next by FDI volume was Service sector (Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles; Transport, communication and services; Accommodation and food service activities) - 6 932 million euro.

Detailed data can be found on the NSI website under the heading 'Foreign direct investments'.

The expenditure on the acquisition of tangible fixed assets in all sectors of the economy amounted in 2022 to 27 522 million BGN at current prices and increased by 19.5% compared to the previous year. The largest volume of investments in tangible fixed assets was in the sector of Industry - 7 140 million BGN, followed by the Service sector (Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles; Transport, communication and services; Accommodation and food service activities) with 6 937 million BGN invested.

Detailed data can be found on the NSI website under the heading 'Investments'.

National Statistical Institute publishes final 2022 data on the number of employees and average annual wages and salaries. In 2022 the number of employees under labour contract was 2 278 832 and increased by 29.9 thousands or 1.3% compared to 2021. The average annual wages and salaries of the employees under labour contract was 21 242 BGN, by 13.4% higher compared to 2021.

Detailed data can be found on the NSI website under the heading 'Annual statistics on employment and labour cost'.

The Total Producer Price Index in Industry decreased by 0.9% in October 2023 compared to the previous month. Lower prices were registered in the mining and quarrying industry by 4.3%, and in the manufacturing industry by 1.2%. The prices went up in the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply by 0.3%. 

The Producer Price Index on the Domestic Market decreased by 0.6% in October compared to September 2023. The domestic prices went down in the mining and quarrying industry by 2.4%, and in the manufacturing industry by 1.0%. The prices increased in the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply by 0.1%.

The Total Producer Price Index fell by 20.1% in October 2023 compared to the same month in 2022. There was a considerable decrease in prices in the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply by 48.8%, in the mining and quarrying industry by 4.9%, and in the manufacturing industry by 1.7%.

The Producer Price Index on the Domestic Market decreased by 25.9% compared to October 2022. Lower prices were reported in the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply - by 47.9%, in the mining and quarrying industry - by 4.5%, and in the manufacturing industry by 1.5%.

In September 2023, compared to August 2023, an increase is reported for the production of solid fuels - by 6.3%. A decrease is reported for the production of: motor gasoline - by 12.3%, transport diesel - by 10.0%, and electricity - by 3.7%. There is no change for the production of natural gas and liquefied petroleum gases.

Compared to the same month of the previous year, an increase is reported for the production of motor gasoline - by 50.0%. A decrease is reported for the production of: solid fuels - by 51.7%, electricity - by 15.1%, and transport diesel - by 6.5%. There is no change for the production of natural gas аnd liquefied petroleum gases.

In September 2023, compared to August 2023, an increase is reported for the deliveries of: natural gas - by 7.2%, and solid fuels - by 5.8%. A decrease is reported for the deliveries of: motor gasoline - by 34.2%, transport diesel - by 15.5%, electricity - by 11.4%, and liquefied petroleum gases - by 4.3%.

Compared to the same month of 2022, an increase is reported for the deliveries of: natural gas - by 28.8%, transport diesel - by 9.0%, and liquefied petroleum gases - by 4.8%. A decrease is reported for the deliveries of: solid fuels - by 49.6%, and electricity - by 1.3%. There is no change for the deliveries of motor gasoline.

In November 2023, the total business climate indicator remains approximately to its October level. An increase of the indicator is observed in the construction and service sector, while in the industry, a decrease is observed. Only in the retail trade, the indicator preserves its level from the previous month.

The main obstacles for business development in the sectors are connected with the uncertain economic environment, shortage of labour, competition in the branch and costs of materials.

In October 2023, the number of trips of Bulgarian residents abroad was 694.0 thousand, or 15.8% above the registered in October 2022.

The trips with other purposes (as a guest, education and visiting cultural and sports events) composed the greatest share of the total number of trips of Bulgarian residents abroad - 42.2%, followed by those with holiday and recreation purposes - 37.8%, and with professional purpose - 20.0%.

The number of visits of non-residents to Bulgaria was 898.9 thousand, or 6.1% more in comparison with the same month of the previous year. Тhe predominant share of the visits was with other purposes - 49.6%, followed by trips with holiday and recreation purposes - 35.1%, and with professional purpose - 15.3%.

Transit passes through the country were 36.0% (323.5 thousand) of all visits of non-residents to Bulgaria.

In the third quarter of 2023 the expenditure on acquisition of tangible fixed assets in all sectors of the economy amounted to 6 742 million BGN, which is 1.5% more as compared to the previous quarter. The data are preliminary.

Detailed data can be found on the NSI website under the heading “Investments”.

In the third quarter of 2023, the goods carried by freight land and water transport rose by 15.7% and the transport performance by 4.4% in comparison with the same quarter of 2022. The data are preliminary.

The number of passengers carried by passenger transport (land, water and urban electrical transport) increased by 4.9% in the second quarter of 2023. Meanwhile, the transport performance recorded a decline of 4.0%.

The third quarter of 2023 compared to the same quarter of 2022:

• In the third quarter of 2023, the transported goods by the land transport were 14.5% up on the same quarter of 2022, and the transport performance increased by 4.6%.
• The goods carried by sea and inland waterway transport rose by 572.4 thousand tonnes, while the transport performance, measured in tonne-kilometres, fell by 2.9%.
• The number of transported passengers by land transport decreased by 2.0% and the transport performance recorded a drop of 5.8% compared to the same quarter of 2022.
• In the third quarter of 2023 there was an increase of 22.8 thousand passengers in volume of transported passengers by water transport, while transport performance declined by 10 thousand passenger-kilometres.

During the period July - September 2023, the enterprises performing urban electrical transport carried 15.8% more passengers and the transport performance increased by 12.0% compared to the same period of 2022.